To Dream a Dream
by TatorVerse
Summary: At night, his mind lives in a different place, in a different time, as a different person. But as circumstances may have it, it might not be as different as it seems. What happens when two minds so different in daylight actually share a common world at night? Who knows? The dreamworld does work in many wonders.
1. The Young Monsieur

**__AN: Here's a few things I have to say before you read on. 1) I have not read the book _yet_ (I have yet to secure a copy) so forgive me if I couldn't get certain things right, especially with the Les Amis. 2) I only have the 2012 film and the 25th anniversary concert as my basis. That, and some fanfics that I've read. 3) This is my first Les Mis story and my first multi-chapter story. 4) There is a possibility that I may not be able to finish this or that I may, at times, have long gaps between updates and for that I apologize in advance. But I shall do my best to finish this before my summer ends. 5) You might find the story to progress slowly. That is done on purpose. Let's be realistic. A romance between Enjolras and Eponine would not happen so quickly. They are not the types to fall madly in love in a blink of an eye and certainly not with each other. But "stuff" will happen sooner or later.**

**With that said, you may now read on. I do hope you will enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not recall being named as Victor Hugo thus, I conclude, Les Miserables is certainly not mine.**

* * *

_It is utter chaos. He watches as everything begins to fall apart. Men lie dead at his feet. Many are injured. Blood stains the streets of Paris. Blood stains his hands. Death had once stayed behind the shadows…waiting. But now Death danced upon the street where the barricade once stood tall and proud. Now, the tall fortress they had made lay in shambles, scattered around the scene. Their revolution had lost all hope._

_He continues to run. Not to escape to tragedy but to keep on going for that is the only thing he could do. He runs because he cannot bear to see the lifeless bodies scattered about. The bodies of his fellow Les Amis. The bodies of his comrades. The bodies of his friends. They are all gone, shot down by the revolution they fought for. For the revolution they died for. He runs because a moment of idleness could cause him his life. But what did that mean, anyway? The fight was over. They had lost and it was all too clear to them. But he needed to run. He needed to fight. For if he did not then who else would?_

_He ran until his feet had come to a stop. It was a dead end. He could hear the footsteps of the men that would take his life come closer by the second. He knew it. He was going to die. But he was going to die for a cause. Just before the men could come across his path, he took the red flag that hung by the window. He was ready. They were there. He closed his eyes and took in one last breath. As he opened his eyes another figure emerged. It was of a drunken man. His comrade. His friend. He would not die alone. They exchanged a look. A final farewell. He raised the flag and shouted a few words that he could no longer make out from the sounds of the shots being fired. This was it. His final breath. The bullets finally hit him. One, two, he could no longer count how many. He was jerked back. And then a darkness enveloped him._

* * *

He awoke with a start, finding himself already sitting up in his bed. He was gasping for air. The sheets clung to his bare skin, covered in a great amount of cold sweat. It was a dream. Yet another one, to be precise. These dreams had haunted him for quite some time. It was always the same kind. And they always came. Some consecutively while others had a gap of months between them. His last dream was two months prior.

As soon as he began to get a hold of his bearings, he turned to look at his clock situated atop his bedside table. It was twelve minutes past five. He scowled. It was far too early for him to be awake. But there was no way he could go back to sleep. The vivid images still raced through his head.

He soon removed the sheets that still clung to him. He was only wearing his boxers, as he always did when he would go to bed. But even so, he could feel the sweat all over his body. It was not hot but the night terror had resulted in his sweat glands to produce cold sweat throughout the night. It clung to him. He needed to take a shower.

He wrapped a towel around his waist and grabbed a few of his belongings as he made his way out of his room. He made his way down the hallway and into the bathroom. He could still hear the snores of his sleeping roommates. They would most probably be out for the next few hours. Good. He didn't need anyone to question his early awakening.

He took a long shower, letting the warm water wash over him. It helped his mind to clear. He watched as the drops fell from his hair. Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. It was relaxing. It relieved him. He took his time, letting the water do its magic. It was far too early, anyway. His first class wouldn't start until it was eight. As he stepped out of the shower, he let himself linger in front of the mirror. He was never fond of the object of vanity. In fact, he rarely used a mirror, using it only to check the condition of his teeth. But he would let it pass for now. He needed to check something. He needed to be sure. He inspected his chest in front of the mirror. He let his fingers go to certain spots, pressing them lightly to the skin to see if he would feel pain. Nothing. Good. There were no piercings. There were no bullet marks. He was safe. It was all just a dream.

He quickly made his way back to his room and put on some clothes. He put on a decent pair of jeans and a long plaid button-up shirt. He put on a pair of shoes and grabbed his messenger bag. He removed his books and replaced them with another set. He combed his hair without checking his reflection and went out the door. He stopped by the bathroom to brush his teeth and took a quick look in the mirror. He patted his hair. It was no longer long and curly as it was in his dreams. Good.

He went into the living area and picked up a book that he left on the coffee table. The apartment was still silent when he left. He was the only one who had morning classes for the day. Classes which he would no doubt be too early for.

He went down his same route. He always walked when heading for the university. It was merely a few blocks away and walking somewhat gave him a small sense of comfort. It relaxed him. It cleared his mind. He would always stop by the same old coffee shop on his way to school. It was all part of his routine. He would order the same black coffee he would every single day and have a sandwich to go. Actually, he would now have the time to sit down and eat a proper breakfast. He still had a lot of time left but that would break his routine. And as his friends knew it, he was a man who stuck to his schedule.

As he made his way out of the coffee shop, he made eye contact with a girl who seemed to be around his age. He always saw her in the mornings. She'd order a steaming cup of hazelnut cappuccino and a butter croissant to go. He would also sometimes see her in the afternoon, lounging in the corner with a book in hand or writing down notes on a piece of paper. She was a regular customer of the shop as was he.

Now, one would think that normally, a young gentleman such as he would not take such notice and observations of a young maiden such as her if he did not harbor any sort of attraction towards her. Well, he was no ordinary young gentleman. He was not one to linger on looks. Sure, if asked to describe the young mademoiselle, the word "beautiful" would certainly exit his lips but he would say it as a truth. She contained beauty but that did not mean anything to the young monsieur. He did not let his mind linger on such trivial things such as looks and physical attributes. There were much more pressing matters to be thought of. Then why must he take such interest on the mademoiselle? Well, it was not attraction that let his eyes linger on her for a passing moment. No, it was curiosity. He was intrigued by her and not in the way that other gentlemen would be. She was familiar. It was as if he had seen her before his days as a regular of the coffee shop. But that was preposterous. He was sure that he had never seen nor met her prior to their daily run-ins in the shop. If so, then why is there a certain familiarity within her that somehow pulls him towards her? That is a good question.


	2. The Young Mademoiselle

**AN: So here's chapter 2. So, I know that it's going quite slow but please bear with me for a while. It'll soon fall into a moderate pace. And please do drop a review. I really want to know what your opinion is on my story. And I really want to know if I got something wrong in writing. So please review!**

**Disclaimer: I own ev-I mean-I own nothing.**

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It was twenty minutes past four when she had awoken. It was too early, even for her, but her mind did not allow her to sleep another wink. It was racing with thoughts and the more she lay on her bed the more frustrated she became. She tossed and she turned but sleep would not be an option. Finally giving up, she threw the blanket off of her and proceeded to change her clothes. She needed to do something. She needed to take a morning jog to clear her mind.

She raced through the park. The morning air was cool against her skin. It felt nice. She hadn't had the chance to have her morning jogs as of late. A lot of things had her body and mind occupied. She'd been sleeping much later than she would usually prefer. She had to keep her grades up to maintain her scholarship and she still had to help out in the library as part of her obligation as a student assistant. Then there was her job. She was currently employed as a waitress on weekdays and as the bar singer on weekends. It was really tough to keep together but she managed to do it all. Last week was just a hectic one. She had deadlines she needed to meet and tests she needed to take. Then the restaurant was short staffed for the most of the week so she had to double her work. It was very tiring and really did take much of her time. But she was glad that she managed to take a breather.

When she finally felt that her mind was no longer racing, she made her way back to her apartment complex. The apartment was quite decent and the rent was just enough for her to pay while still having extra cash at hand. She shared it with two other girls who were also going to the same university as her.

Things had become much better for her in the past years. She no longer lived with her abusive parents who were now safely locked up behind bars. Her siblings were staying with an old couple who gladly volunteered to be foster parents for the kids. They were quite nice and good to the kids which is quite a big contrast in comparison with their real parents. In fact, the couple had funded her first year in college. She was too old to be adopted so the couple offered her some financial help instead. She had refused at first but they had insisted upon it. However, she was never the dependent type of person. She worked hard and got herself a scholarship in her second year. She also took up a part time job since she didn't want to burden the couple who had enough mouths to be fed. But she never grew distant with them. Upon the insistence of her family, she would spend her whole Sunday in the care of their foster parents. It was nice. Her life was getting better and better. She could just feel it.

She stopped by her room to get some clothes before going into the bathroom. She took a quick shower and brushed her teeth. She changed into her regular clothes. She had a pair of jeans on and she wore a gray V-neck. She topped it all off with a matching beanie on her head. She grabbed her bag and shoved in a couple of books. She checked her watch. She still had some time before her classes would start at exactly half past eight. She exited her apartment building and went down the same roads as she normally did. It was all part of her daily routine. She'd walk to school, stopping by her usual coffee shop to grab her hazelnut cappuccino and butter croissant. It was the same thing every single day.

As she neared the shop she came in contact with a young man who seemed to be around her age or maybe even a bit older. He was also a regular at the shop. She saw him every day. He'd order a black coffee and a sandwich to go. It was the usual thing he had each day. He was always there. Sometimes she'd come in earlier than him and other times, like today, he'd be earlier. It didn't matter. Their paths would always come across every morning. That was for sure. Sometimes, she'd even see him in the afternoons. He would sit by the window and either type on his laptop for hours or just sit down and read a book.

Now, one might be under the assumption that she had a certain attraction toward the young monsieur. I mean, one does not normally take note of another's regular order or afternoon schedule, right? True, in normal cases. But this was not true for her. Sure, she might have found the gentleman quite handsome to look at but her attraction towards him ended right there. She had enough of romance and the like. She had too long harbored unrequited feelings toward another gentleman and that did not end well. It took her some time to get it through her head that her feelings would not be returned in the way she would have wanted it to be. But still, the wound was quite fresh. And she would rather not go into that sort of thing anymore.

She merely found the young monsieur intriguing. There was something about him that was so familiar. There was an air of mystery that she just couldn't put a finger on. She had felt such a strong pull toward him. And this was no gravity that was forced upon by attraction or lust. This was something different altogether. It was as if he was somebody she was meant to recall. But she was certain that they had not met before. But why? Why was he so familiar? What was there about him?


	3. Just an Ordinary Day

**AN: Here's chapter 3. So yeah. It's still a slow progress but we're getting there. Thanks for all those who reviewed. And for those who haven't then please do review. I need to know what you think about this story and if ever I got something wrong. Reviews would really encourage me to write more often. So please review.**

**Disclaimer: Ha ha ha, no.**

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"No."

"Why not?"

"Why must I? Surely, you know that I have much more important things to occupy my time with."

"Come now, Enjolras. It's just a simple get-together."

"Exactly. Marius, I see you and the others quite frequently, maybe even on a daily basis at times. There is no need to attend your little gathering for that purpose alone."

"Then don't attend for that very reason. It's a Friday night for goodness sake. It is a time for young men like us to enjoy ourselves. What else would you be doing on a Friday night?"

"Studying." He says quite simply. The two men have been arguing over the same matter for quite some time now. There was to be a simple celebration to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of their little group of friends which they lovingly called Les Amis. To put it quite honestly, Enjolras, the sporting young monsieur, did not wish to entertain these kinds of events. He did not feel it to be important to celebrate such a thing. Oh, do not be mistaken, though. Enjolras valued his friends and the brotherhood they shared but it was simply not of his interest that they should celebrate the forming of their bond. I mean, they would commemorate the ties of their friendship every day through simply talking to one another and being there if the need arises. Their brotherhood would still live on with or without hosting a celebration. He would think that their usual routines would suffice.

But he had Courfeyrac to blame this on. He was the one who decided to have this tradition every year on the exact same date. He and his sentimentality were the start of it all. Enjolras had managed to escape last year's anniversary by saying that he needed to study for an exam to be held the next day but that excuse would not do him any good this time. It just so happened that the anniversary of their brotherhood fell on a Friday thus making his studies an invalid reason.

"Enjolras, it's a Friday. We don't have any classes tomorrow."

"Well, it's never too bad to be prepared. I might wish to study in advance."

"But you need a break. We all do."

"Well, if I wish to have a break then I would merely read one of my books."

"That's not much of a break."

"It is if you enjoy literature."

"Do not act as if I don't enjoy a good book myself. Really now, we have had a few good conversation regarding the books we read."

"All the more that you should understand my want to read."

"I do. I do understand but maybe it's time that you take a break from your usual break. Look, last year's celebration wasn't as nice as we had wanted it to be. I mean, how can we just celebrate the founding of our group without the presence of our leader who brought as all together in the first place? It's not as fun without you, Enjolras." At that point Marius had stopped Enjolras in his walking and they simply stood in the middle of the hallway. He looked at their leader expectantly, waiting for his answer. He had hoped his little speech was enough to convince him. Enjolras sighed and began to speak.

"I'm not quite sure about it, Marius. It just seems like a waste of time."

"It's not a waste of time if you spend it with the men whom you call your brothers. I know you don't usual take part in trivial matters such as anniversaries but look at it this way. We are merely sentimental men who would wish to toast the lasting of our friendship, our brotherhood. It is a moment wherein we reminisce the times that we have shared and it is a time wherein we would wish to thank God for the blessing of friendship He has bestowed upon us. It is a time wherein we would ask Him to bless us with yet another year of friendship. And it would be meaningless if we do not spend it with the man who has started it all. We are sheep who need their shepherd."

"I might consider it, but…" he said but Marius cut him off before he could continue.

"But nothing. Please, do this for you brothers. It is just one night. It'll just be a simple dinner. We will have it at a good restaurant where the food will be great. I even have a friend who works there and she would be serenading us for the night. It'll be perfect." He pleaded. Enjolras heaved another sigh ad continued to walk.

"Very well but only because I would want to make sure that you and the others do not go overboard with your drinking. Honestly, we do not want a repeat of that incident with Grantaire last year." At this, Marius beamed and started to jog off.

"Thank you, Enjolras. I shall go and tell the others. See you later. Courfeyrac will text you the details."

Enjolras just sighed and started to walk toward the coffee shop. His friends really were persistent but it brought a small sense of joy to him that they would really go through much efforts to convince him to join them. Marius was not the first one to talk to him about that matter. Courfeyrac kept on reminding him about it for the past week. Joly spoke to him about it for a couple of times before he got the message. Combeferre practically chased after him just to convince him before he slammed the door in his face. Grantaire even bribed him with a book that he somehow had in his possession which was his in the first place. His friends truly were the persistent types.

* * *

"Marius is finally introducing me to his friends tonight. Isn't that great 'Ponine?"

"Well, yes. But I don't quite understand why you must do it at my workplace." Eponine said. Cosette was just telling her about the little get-together Marius and his friends would be having later that night. Marius was Eponine's dear friend and Cosette's current boyfriend. It was true that she had once harbored feelings toward the young lad but that slowly disappeared as his relationship with her best friend grew stronger. It was tough at first and very painful to watch but she soon came to the realization that she wasn't really in love with Marius but at the idea of him. She wasn't completely over it but it was getting better for her to bear.

"Why not? Patria's serves the best food and what better way to spend the evening than to have one of France's best singers serenading us?"

"One of? If you're going to flatter me then you better do it all out."

"Don't push your luck. Those come rare."

"No they don't. You always compliment people. I mean, seriously? How can you find something good to say to every single person you meet? I mean, half of them don't really deserve it, 'Sette."

"It's called giving people the benefit of the doubt. Something you should try to practice more often."

"No. It's called being a naïve goody-two-shoes." She said, "Well, if you're going to be there then you better not embarrass me in front of the crowd." At this Cosette nudged Eponine and gave her a pout.

"I would do no such thing. What would give you such an impression?"

"With you? I doubt it. Don't you remember the first time you 'supported' my performance at Patria's? You kept on waving at me frantically like some deranged lunatic. And that wasn't all. You kept on giving me standing ovations after each song and you even climbed on stage proclaiming how proud you were of your best friend and how everyone else should stand up and applaud. And nobody did until you gave them this look. Seriously? What was up with that?"

"I only did those out of friendship."

"Really? Well, I actually hoped that you did that out of drunkenness. That would have been understandable. But that was clearly not the case."

"Well, I'm sorry for being a supportive friend." she huffed.

"Too supportive. You tend to be overenthusiastic at times."

"Well, I have reason to be. There's nothing bad about that."

"All right, if it makes you feel any better. Look, I'll see you later. I still need to finish my essay."

"I thought that was due on Monday."

"It is but seeing as I don't have anything better to do, I might as well work on it."

"You never take a break, do you? Well, I have to go anyway. I still need to meet up with Marius."

With that, the friends split paths. Eponine went inside the coffee shop and ordered her usual: An iced hazelnut cappuccino and a chocolate muffin. When she turned to take her usual seat she saw him sitting at his usual table. He was reading a newspaper. Of course he was. She turned away and started to get her unfinished essay from her bag. It was just another ordinary day. Well, at least so far.

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**AN: Hey, it's me again. Yeah, I know it's kind of weird for a group of guys to hold a friend-a-versary but that was the only thing I could think of while I wrote this. So yeah. Please, review! See ya next chapter.**


	4. Predictability

**AN: Hey, it's me again. I'd just like to thank all those who reviewed in the past chapters. I just love the thrill that I get when I see a new review pop up. So yeah. Thanks**

**Anyway, for anyone who's wondering or would want something visual to go by, I based the appearance of the characters mostly from the 2012 film. Well, except for Grantaire, I suppose. He's probably more of a Hadley Fraser to me. And the other Barricade Boys are probably a mix of the movie actors and my own imagination of them. But I'm not an artist so I can't really see how I can make you all see that. But, it's really up to you how you see them. This is basically how I see them but you might want a different image as you read. That's cool.**

**So...how're you liking the story so far? Drop a review so I can find out. Till we meet again.**

**Disclaimer: Les Miserables owned by a teenage girl? Gasp! I didn't know that I was born in the 1800's. (end of sarcasm) No people, it's not mine.**

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"I thought you didn't want to go." Combeferre said as he passed Enjolras who was sitting on the sofa.

"I didn't." He said as he continued to read his book, not even tearing his eyes away to look at the other gentleman.

"Then why are you the only one who's ready? Aside from me that is. Where is this sudden eagerness to leave coming from?"

"Do not be mistaken. As you know quite well, I am a man of schedule. Of course I would be the first to finish with my business."

"Darn. For a moment there I actually thought that you were happy to spend some time with your buddies."

"Please, we see each other on a daily basis. And as you can see, we even share the same living arrangements. Why must there be a need to act all excited?"

Combeferre merely shrugged and took a sip from his juice. He didn't despise the celebration but he wasn't that enthusiastic about it as Courfeyrac was. Simply put, he was indifferent. He knew exactly how the night would go on. Firstly, they would wait for their other comrades to get there, making them late for their reservation. That was already checked off the list seeing as they were still waiting for Grantaire and Courfeyrac to exit their rooms. Secondly, the whole notion of having a "boy's night out" would be shattered assuming that Marius and Joly bring along their lady loves. Scratch that. He was sure that they would. Thirdly, they would argue over the menu and make a ruckus which would leave the more sensible members of their group to do the damage control. He just hoped that they wouldn't be kicked out of yet another fine restaurant in France. Fourthly, alcohol. That in itself is explanation enough. How the night progresses would simply depend on who gets drunk and how drunk they'd be. But basically, the night would end this way. Enjolras would be wearing his signature scowl whilst helping a very inebriated Grantaire into his room while Combeferre would be assisting Courfeyrac into his. And he would admit that he'd be doing it all while a bit tipsy himself. Yes, this is how he thought the night would progress and end. Oh, but how very wrong Combeferre would be.

* * *

Saying that the kitchen was busy that night would be a complete understatement. Orders were yelled over the noise of various people doing various things. Dishes slid from the counter one after the other. And food was served right off the pan and onto a plate in a matter of seconds. Piles of dishes started to turn into mini-mountains as they were placed haphazardly in the sink while the dishwashers scrubbed furiously at the Chinaware. It was indeed a contrast to the calm environment displayed in the dining area of the restaurant.

It certainly made Eponine thank her lucky stars that she would not be serving as a waitress that night. She hung her coat on a rack and dumped her bag in the employee's locker room. She proceeded to walk toward the bar where she knew her employer would be.

"Ah, Eponine. It's good that you've arrived. I've just been discussing the playlist for tonight with Monsieur Claude over here." The elder lady handed her the folder where the songs were placed. She scanned through them and was relieved that she was quite familiar with the songs. She handed them back to the older gentleman beside the Madame. Monsieur Claude worked for Patria's as the resident pianist when they had their acoustic weekends. He was a kind old gentleman who was around the age of sixty. She was rather fond of the man and admired his love for music. It was such a breath of fresh air to be working with him at times.

"I do hope we could start the music in ten minutes time if that's okay with you dear."

"Oui. That would be just fine, Madame Girdeau." She said. Madame Girdeau was the niece of the founder of Patria's, which was, as you might have guessed, named after the founder herself, Madame Patria Francois. Madame Girdeau had inherited the restaurant after Madame Francois's only son entered priesthood. She was a rather slim and tall lady who was over forty years of age. She treated her employee's well but kept a rather distant relationship with them. She was strict and was quite a perfectionist but Eponine regarded her with much respect for singlehandedly managing the now thriving restaurant.

"Maybe you would wish to go over the song list for a little while before we start." The old man suggested. She smiled at him and slowly followed him to the stage. He softly played a few notes from the songs and gave her a run-through of how the show would go on. She was so focused with her current task that she did not notice the entrance of a group of young men who had a few ladies at their sides, one of which was waving frantically at her.

* * *

"Cosette, you're doing it again." Musichetta said to her dear friend.

"What is so wrong with acknowledging the presence of our roommate?" she inquired, still miffed with her earlier discussion with Eponine.

"Well, does the memory of Eponine telling you countless times to never repeat those kinds of actions come into mind?"

"It does but I still don't see why she would downright reject my act of friendship, 'Chetta."

"Now, who would do such a thing, my lovely Cosette?" Marius had just returned at Cosette's side after leaving to hang her coat on the hanger.

"Apparently, Eponine. You see, after a previous, um, occasion, Eponine had told Cosette several times that she must simply not, uh, showcase her affections toward her friend once she would be performing on stage." Musichetta explained.

"Why ever not? Eponine deserves to be acknowledged greatly. She has a fantastic voice. I could not blame Cosette for feeling such a thrill to see her friend doing quite well. Oh look, there she is now." At seeing Eponine on stage, Marius began to wave as frantically as Cosette had.

"Oh goodness. You two definitely belong to each other." Musichetta muttered.

"Pardon?" They both said at the exact time, only proving Musichetta's previous musings. Fortunately, Joly came in at that time to usher the group to their table. The others were already seated and had begun to scan their eyes on the menu.

"Um, not to be rude to these fine ladies but I thought this was going to be men's night." Grantaire said, not at all sounding that he meant what he said about not wanting to be rude. At this comment, the two ladies suddenly became a lot more conscious and had started to blush.

"Nonsense, R. Nobody said that we couldn't bring along a date. And I do believe that this would be a great opportunity for me to introduce my dearest to you." Marius said as he took his seat between Cosette and Joly.

"Ah, yes. Please do forgive my friend, dear Mademoiselles. I am certain that he does not see your presence as a disturbing matter. I am Combeferre, by the way." He said as he stood up to lightly kiss the hands of the two ladies, giving them a pleasant smile. Check number two. He was so sure that Marius would be bringing along his mystery girl whom he'd been talking nonstop about but not having the opportunity to introduce them to. He was only mildly surprised that Joly had also brought the famous Musichetta whom he has mentioned a couple of times.

"Cosette." The blonde girl said as she gave him a smile in return.

"Musichetta." The other lady said.

The gentlemen had started to introduce themselves one by one, each in a different manner. The waiter then came along to take their orders. And this is where Combeferre's prediction started to come true, yet again.

The events that began to conspire as they ordered began to proceed in a domino effect. There was a small ruckus made when Grantaire and Bahorel had argued over which wine they should be ordering. Bossuet had started to stand up and stop the quarreling between the two boys but then he tripped on a chair and crashed into a waiter. Luckily, the waiter was not able to drop the tray that he held however, some wine was able to spill onto Prouvaire's pants. In his efforts to wipe it away with his table napkin, he had accidentally pulled on the table cloth instead which made the utensils on it shift, leaving some to fall to the ground. Marius, who was going to get some new utensils, tripped on Joly who was trying to pick the fallen cutlery up to avoid more tragedy. The two ladies had decided to help their respective beloveds up but in their efforts, had managed to fall down themselves, pulling down the rest of the table cloth with them. As the cloth fell, the vase that was placed in the middle toppled over and spewed the contents all over Courfeyrac and Combeferre. As the two dashed toward the restroom to fix their states, they bumped into Feuilly who had come from the loo. The three men fell on their bums and crashed into Enjolras's seat which began to tip over in the crash. Now the four men were sprawled on the floor with a chair in the midst of it all. To sum it all up, it was one greatly entertaining disaster. So much for having a good night.

* * *

As Eponine prepared herself on stage, she could not help noticing the commotion that stirred up in one of the tables at the back. She scanned through the faces and noticed the figures of two young ladies whom she knew quite well.

"Everything's all right, ladies and gentlemen. Just go on with your lovely evening. Come now, why don't we give a round of applause to the young lady on stage who is about to serenade us for the evening." Cosette had said to her fellow diners as the group had caught the attention of everyone else.

All eyes began to shift their way onto the stage and onto Eponine who was not at all pleased by Cosette using her as a scapegoat.

"Oh, Cosette. What have I told you about not embarrassing me tonight?" she silently cursed under her breath. She looked on to the group who were trying to fix things. It truly was a mess. Her line of sight finally landed on a figure of a man who seemed to look familiar to her. She was not quite sure, though. The lighting was dim and the spotlight that had zoned in on her made her eyesight a bit hazy. She wouldn't have any time to check, anyway.

She turned her attention to her back where Monsieur Claude was sitting with the piano. He nodded his head at her and began to play the first few notes of the opening song of the night.

_"Well, there's no use on letting your mind think about such things, 'Ponine. You've got a job to do. Just pretend that they're not there. Cosette and company couldn't possibly make the night a lot worse."_ She thought to herself as she listened to the intro. But as the saying should go, the night was still young. And oh, how that particular night was still so very young indeed.


	5. Small World

**AN: Thanks for the reviews, guys. If you keep it up then I'll make sure that this story actually sees the finish line. But not anytime soon, though. I must admit, even I find it to be too slow. I'll try to speed it up a notch.**

**Disclaimer: I dreamed a dream of owning Les Mis. But copyright infringement laws has killed the dream I dreamed.**

* * *

A few waiters had come to help with the mishap that the group had caused. The attention was taken away from them as the music began to play. Enjolras picked himself off the floor and proceeded to search for the store's manager or perhaps owner to do damage control. As he began his search, he bumped into a waiter and decided to ask him instead.

"Excuse me, Monsieur but do you perhaps know where I could possibly find the manager or the owner of this restaurant?" he asked politely. The man pointed him to the direction of the bar where a middle-aged woman was sitting with a drink her hand.

"Excuse me, Madame. But may I ask if you are the store's owner or perhaps manger?"

"I am the owner. You may call me Madame Girdeau." She said offering him a hand which he kindly shook.

"Ah, forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Enjolras Valrouge."

"It is nice to meet you. Now, what may I do for you?"

"Actually, Madame. I am here to apologize in behalf of my company. It seems that we had caused a rather unfortunate commotion here in your fine restaurant. I do hope that we were not able to disrupt the peace for your other customers and to disturb your waiters from their work. It was out of our hands and it was not in any means in our intentions to cause such a fuss. But I do offer my sincerest of apologies."

"Oh so that ruckus was caused by you lot. Well, no worries child. As long as you did not break anything then it is quite fine. And seeing as no complaints have been filed then I suppose the other customers are fine with it as well. Accidents do happen and it would not be just to kick you out for a mere accident or rather series of accidents. Now if I were you, I would go back to my seat and simply enjoy the rest of the night." She said, softly patting the younger man on the shoulder.

"Thank you for being considerate, Madame. I promise that we shall be more careful this time." He said as he walked back to their now clean table. The food was already there and they were just waiting for him to return.

"Well?" Joly asked as soon as Enjolras sat on his seat.

"All is well. The Madame who owns this restaurant was nice enough to shrug it off as a mere accident." With that said, the group heaved a collective sigh of relief.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's dig in." Courfeyrac chimed in as the atmosphere turned into a much lighter one. They began to eat their food and have short conversations in intervals of eating. Laughter could be heard and it seemed that the night could still be salvaged.

In the midst of all the talking, Prouvaire, who was sitting beside the young lady, noticed something about Cosette's actions.

"Forgive me for asking, Mademoiselle but I noticed that you keep on clapping quite enthusiastically after the end of each song. Why is that?" he said. This had gathered the attention of everyone else on the table for they too had noticed this. At the sudden spotlight that was aimed at her, Cosette started to blush and did not know what to say to that.

"Oh, um, well…" she began but Musichetta came in to rescue her from her predicament.

"To put it in Cosette's own words she is merely being a supportive friend." she said. This only added to the growing confusion in their countenances. She cleared her throat and began to speak again.

"You see gentlemen, the wonderful singer that is serenading us tonight is none other than our dear friend and roommate." At this, Les Amis turned their attention toward the stage where they can see the young brunette singing.

"Well, isn't it a small world." Grantaire chirped in.

"No, not really." It was Marius who was currently speaking. "I specifically chose this restaurant for that purpose. In fact, I even told you guys about it. Don't you remember?" At this, the others merely shrugged. They weren't really that attentive.

"Now that you have brought it up, I seem to recall that you had mentioned that you had a friend who worked here, earlier today." Enjolras said.

The song was now over and the restaurant had burst in applause. He then turned his head to the direction of the stage to actually see the performer for the first time that night.

To say that he was shocked would be a complete understatement. He was flabbergasted to see that the girl on stage, the girl whom Marius knew, the girl who was friends with Cosette and Musichetta was the same girl whom he saw in the coffee shop every day. Forget what Marius said. Grantaire was right. It truly was a small world.

* * *

Eponine scurried off the stage as Monsieur Claude told the crowd that they would be having a quick break. She was very thankful for that. Her throat was beginning to dry up from all the singing and she really needed a cool glass of water. She reached the bar and the bartender immediately took a glass and filled it up with water without her saying a single word. She gulped it all down in one go and slammed the glass on the counter.

"Thanks." She muttered as she passed the glass back to the bartender.

"Eponine." A voice said from behind. She turned around and came face to face with Musichetta. She immediately gave her friend a frown.

"Whoa, what kind of hello is that?"

"The kind only reserved for friends who cause a complete commotion in their friend's workplace whilst using that friend as their scapegoat."

"Oh, you saw that?"

"How could I not?"

"Well, why don't you come to the table with me so that you can frown upon each and every one of them?" She said. That made them both laugh.

"I don't know, 'Chetta."

"I'll introduce you to Marius and Joly's friends." She said. Eponine wasn't so sure about it. She looked at the direction where Monsieur Claude sat and he gave her a curt nod.

"Oh, it's all right if you go. We still have ten more minutes before we get back." The gentleman said. Musichetta gave the man a smile and gave Eponine an expectant look.

"Okay, fine. But I'll only be there for a while." She said as Musichetta began dragging her to the table where her friends sat.

* * *

Bahorel was just beginning to retell a joke he heard the other day when he just stopped talking. He was the first to notice the two ladies approaching the table. Everyone else hadn't caught on yet so they were all surprised when his joke was cut off.

"Oh, hello there." He said. The others turned to look at Bahorel's line of sight and saw the brunette who was awkwardly standing beside Musichetta.

"Hi." She said, aware that everyone was now staring at her. Marius was the first one to break the trance.

"Hey, Ep. You were great tonight." He said, giving her a smile. It made her heart soar a bit but it quickly died down.

"Thanks. Where's Cosette?" she asked, noticing the blonde's absence.

"Oh, she went outside to answer a phone call." He replied. There was more silence. Talk about awkward. Courfeyrac cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Marius, why don't you introduce your friend to us." He said.

"I can introduce myself, thank you very much." She said a bit peeved. A bark of laughter was heard after her statement.

"Well, why aren't you, then?" Grantaire asked, challenging her. She stared him down but he was unperturbed.

"Fine." She hissed. She broke their stare-off and addressed everyone else. "The name's Eponine Thenardier. Any more questions?"

"She's a feisty one. I like her already." Grantaire said through his laughter. It was a good thing that Cosette came back at that exact moment.

"Oh, Eponine. You were simply fantastic tonight." She said cheerily but stopped in her tracks when she saw the look on her face.

"Cosette Valjean, how dare you use me as a scapegoat." She said, faking some annoyance. Seriously, she just can't stay frustrated at her for too long.

"What? I did no such thing!"

"Really now? You don't recall your little stunt a while ago?"

"I didn't use you as a scapegoat. I was merely giving you an introduction to the crowd."

"Yeah, while transferring all the attention to me, instead." She deadpanned. Cosette had nothing to reply to that. It was then that Musichetta gave a soft laugh.

"You better stop your act, 'Ponine. You know, before Cosette bursts into tears." At this Eponine started to laugh as well and after a little while everyone else joined in. Even Marius laughed at the annoyed look on Cosette's face. She, of course, swatted him in the arm in a means to reprimand him.

"I thought you were on my side. Now I feel betrayed." She said. Marius laughed even more while inserting a bunch of "sorry's" through his laughter.

When the laughter died out, Eponine began to speak again.

"Well, I did my part. Now, it's only fair that you introduce yourselves to me." She said. And they did as she said. Enjolras was the last to come forward. Throughout the whole thing, he was just straying behind the group, observing the events that unfolded. When Enjolras showed himself, the surprise was clear in Eponine's eyes but she soon learned to hide it away and took hold of his outstretched hand.

"Enjolras Valrouge." He said. "It's nice to finally put a name to the face." He added.

"Finally?" Courfeyrac asked the question that ran through everyone's head.

"I am agog. I am aghast. Has Enjolras had a secret affair without our knowing?" Grantaire said. This earned him a glare from Enjolras. Eponine, however, merely shrugged it off.

"No, no. We just met." She said. Then added, "Well, formally, that is."

"Hold on. We're still a bit confused here. Why don't you start with an explanation?" Joly said. Enjolras sighed and faced his friends.

"Well, basically, we've been running into each other in the same coffee shop practically every morning." He said. "Not intentionally." He added as soon as he saw Grantaire's mouth open.

"Oh, is Enjolras that guy you mentioned a couple of times whom you thought looked familiar?" Cosette asked. Eponine nodded. This intrigued Enjolras. She had thought he looked familiar as well. Interesting.

"It was nice meeting you all but I think I need to head back. I still have a job to do." She said but before she could leave Cosette had grabbed her hand.

"Wait a second, Ep. Why don't you join us later, after your shift? The three of us should probably head home together."

"Sure." She said. She waved at the guys before heading back to the stage.

"Well, I surely didn't predict that that would happen." Combeferre muttered under his breath.

"What was that you said?" Feuilly, who was sitting beside him, asked.

"Nothing."

* * *

**AN: Thanks for reading. If you're wondering where I pulled Enjolras's last name from then I shall enlighten you all. So it's basically a combination of two French words: Valeur and Rouge. In English (if Google Translate was not mistaken) it would be Valor and Red. So basically, his surname would mean Red Valor/Red Bravery. Why? Red=Enjolras's symbol for the revolution. Valor=bravery, which Enjolras is full of. **

**So tell me your thoughts on the story or anything related to it by dropping a review. Good day!**


	6. Rare Instances

**AN: Hello, people of the fanfiction world! Okay, so remember when I said that I'll be speeding it up a bit? Yeah, it's not going to happen soon. Sorry! It's just that I find it hard to move on from this to that so I'll be having some filler chapters for transition. Again, I apologize. It must really suck to keep on waiting but please do hold on. Don't give up on me just yet. I know there's not much action or even interaction with our two leads but it will happen. But I won't rush it. It is Enjolras after all. He won't fall head over heels in just a glance. I mean, he's no Marius Pontmercy. I'm actually still thinking of ways to let their friendship grow into something more without really making it unrealistic. I mean, I don't want them to be OOC. So, if you have any suggestions then please review. I really need some help on that department.**

**But for now, enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Unless the rights to own Les Mis is being auctioned then I most certainly do not own it. But even if that happened I doubt I'll be the one to own it.**

* * *

"You were great tonight, Mademoiselle." Monsieur Claude said as they both went down the stage. The show was now over and instrumental background music played through the restaurant in their place.

"Merci, Monsieur. As always, you played magnificently. What would Patria's do without you?" she said, smiling at the old man.

"A lot worse I'd expect." It was Madame Girdeau. "We are very fortunate to have you Monsieur. And of course, you as well, Eponine."

"Merci, Madame." They both replied.

"Well, thank you as well. You were both great tonight. And I expect that it would be the same for tomorrow night."

"Of course, Madame." Monsieur Claude said. "Well, I best be going. Bonsoir to both of you." he said giving then a bow.

"Bonsoir, Monsieur Claude. Be safe as you go home." The young lady said.

"Ah, yes. Bonsoir, Monsieur Claude. And bonsoir to you too, Eponine. I shall be retreating to my office for the night.

"Bonsoir, Madame." She said as she walked off. The restaurant still had a few customers. And the Les Amis and company were still present at the far table at the back. That was where Eponine was heading. This time, it was Feuilly who had first notice her presence.

"Ah, Mademoiselle. You are back. Take a seat." He said pulling a chair from the empty table beside them and inserting it just between him and Enjolras.

"Thank you, Monsieur." She said, giving him a smile.

"I know you must have heard this several times before but you have an absolutely lovely voice, Mademoiselle Eponine." Joly said with several other heads nodding their approval.

"I'm not quite sure about that, Monsieur but thanks anyway. And please call me Eponine." She said.

"Modesty? That's a first, Eponine." Musichetta said jokingly. "Joly, you really mustn't inflate her ego or else it'll burst." She said, at which the others chuckled to.

"Oh haha, 'Chetta."

"Well, there's no need to be so sour. But if it makes you feel any better, then I do agree with Joly. You were great tonight, Ep."

"A compliment? That's a first, Musichetta." She countered, using her words against her.

"Well, rare instances do occur." She said, not at all fazed by her throwback.

"Indeed they do." Courfeyrac said. "For example, Enjolras noticing an actual female. Doesn't that sound like a rare instance to you lot?"

"Hardly." Enjolras said, surprising them all. "I do have eyes. It's not like I'm blind to another person's presence just because they belong to the other gender."

"Witty." That was all Eponine said as she smiled at his retort. Monsieur Black Coffee definitely had a quick functioning brain on him.

Although Eponine had only said it in a whisper, Enjolras had heard it. He fought back a smirk that was starting to set in. _"Hmm, someone who can finally get my witty remarks and appreciate them." _He mused. The others were never ones for witty conversations. Poetic? Yes. Sarcastic? Most definitely. But witty? Well, let's just say that rare instances do occur.

"Okay then. Let me rephrase it. It is a rare instance when Enjolras notices a female with more attention and interest than he would normally give. Now, how does that sound?" Courfeyrac said.

"Better. If only it was true." He said.

"Wait, we don't get it." Combeferre said.

"Of course you don't." Enjolras replied. To a total stranger, it would have sounded rather insulting but the boys knew better than to take snide comments from each other to heart.

"Yes, of course we don't because you haven't really explained it all to us." Joly piped in.

"What is there to explain? What I said awhile back was the truth, exactly as it was." Enjolras said. They only looked on silently as if egging them to give in. Enjolras, of course, would do no such thing but Eponine, being new to it all, caved in to the pressure.

"Oh for the love of God. Fine. Let me explain it all in simple words so you can all get it." She said, which earned a small smirk from Enjolras.

"So let me answer the obvious question written all over your faces. Question number one: 'Do you know each other?' or to be exact 'Are you secretly dating?' Because I know that's what you all are actually thinking." She paused, looking at their shame-filled faces. Bingo! She got that right in the bulls-eye.

"And to that I say a big N-O. No. I mean I just officially met the man tonight. And if you're wondering what I mean by 'officially' then I shall enlighten you all. By 'officially' I meant that tonight was the first instance I got to know his name. Tonight was the first time that I had actually seen him outside of the coffee shop. Now, let's move on to question number two: 'What do they do in the coffee shop?' Well, let me ask you. What would one normally do in a coffee shop? Why, buy coffee of course! What else should you do in a coffee shop? Now, I shall give you all a rundown of what exactly happens every day in the coffee shop. One, I'd go to the coffee shop for my morning cappuccino and would see him there around the same time. And no, this was not planned. I was just following my routine and I assume he does the same as well. Two, after getting my order I would exit the shop and head to the university. Yes, no words would be exchanged between us. Now, sometimes I would also go to the coffee shop in the afternoons if I have time. Why? Because he's there? Again, I say no. It just so happens that I might want an iced hazelnut cappuccino and a muffin while going through my schoolwork or while reading a book. And it just so happens that he would be there as well." She paused, letting some air into her lungs and letting her words sink in.

"So, to sum it all up, there was absolutely no interaction between the both of us in the entire duration of our coffee shop run-ins. And the moral of this story, kids, is that you should never assume things or jump into wild conclusions if you don't want to become old gossiping ladies which, I might add, you're having quite a resemblance to right now." She said, finishing it up. Enjolras was wearing a wide smirk beside her.

"So, was that enough for you?" she asked, in a mother-scolding-her-child way. Of course, the guilty children or old ladies, whichever way you preferred, just nodded to her, not really meeting her gaze.

"Very well said, if I might say." it was Enjolras who spoke.

"Why, thank you." she said sincerely.

"If there's anyone who could reduce a grown man or in this case a group of them to the size of a whimpering child, then it's Eponine for sure." Musichetta said, laughing at the guilty looks on the men's faces. It was Marius who first had the guts to speak.

"Well, I really don't know what to say to you both."

"I guess rare instances do occur, then." Enjolras said. And at this the table began to smile and later on laugh, letting the previous atmosphere dissipate.

"We really are sorry though. We might not have said it out loud but the thought was in our minds, nonetheless. Intentionally or implied, we are sorry for jumping into conclusions." Joly offered. Enjolras accepted the apology with a nonchalant wave of the hand. It wasn't that big of issue anyway.

"You are forgiven, I suppose. But to tell you the truth, what you thought on the matter didn't really interest nor bother me in the slightest. I just said what I said so that I could see you squirm. And boy, you should've seen the looks on your faces. Guilt surely does make a fine piece of art." She said giving them a cheeky grin.

"Oh, now that's just cruel." Combeferre interjected.

"That's Eponine for you." Cosette said, giving her friend a smile.

"Well then, we wouldn't have it any other way." Bossuet said.

"Welcome to our little group, Mademoiselle Eponine." Bahorel interjected.

"And you can't say no. The other dames over there already said yes and by rule of decree if two of your roommates said yes to something then you must do so as well." Grantaire said.

"And in what rulebook is that found, precisely?"

"In mine of course!" he exclaimed, almost spilling the wine in his glass. Note, almost. He would never let good wine go to waste.

"It's a wonder how you're not as drunk as you usually are, Grantaire." Prouvaire commented.

"Well, you do know what they say…" Marius began as they all said the next line.

"RARE INSTANCES DO OCCUR!"

* * *

**AN: So...how was it? This is actually one of my favorite chapters so far. It's because I really loved writing it. It was fun, especially Eponine's speech.**

**How did you find it? Give me a review to let me know. I'm practically begging you guys, here. Please!**


	7. Monday Mornings

**AN: I'm a bit sad, actually. I haven't gotten much reviews for the previous chapters. Hopefully, you guys can fix that.**

**So, this is actually just a filler chapter. I've got a lot of those going on since I'm actually quite stuck on what to write next. I have no idea how to get some progress in their relationship. I actually have some stuff planned but those have to happen later on in the story. So, I still need to think of chapters to write in between.**

**If you guys want to read the next chapter sooner then please do review. Those help a lot. Please! Next chapter actually has some interaction between them.**

**Disclaimer: I think a big N-O is in place.**

* * *

Now, it is a universal truth, acknowledged by all students and workers alike, that Monday mornings just downright suck. If Friday nights were considered the pinnacle of the week then Monday mornings were certainly the lowest peak in the social calendar of the week. After an interesting - or maybe not – weekend, people would be forced out of the comforts of their beds and into the dull routine that they execute for every other working day.

But Monday mornings could be interesting as well. That is, if you are one of the optimistic types. If a simple alarm clock could not weather your spirits then you, my friend, are a luck one. And yes, Monday mornings would be quite interesting for that type of person. It would be a time to simply lean back and observe. It would be quite funny to actually mind one's surroundings on a Monday morning. Yes, Monday mornings are a perfect time for people-watching.

You'd see all the aftereffects one gets over the weekends. The funny looking faces that are all scrunched up from either tiredness or annoyance. The countless yawns emanating from different sources. The running figures of people who seem to have woken later than usual. Yes, you'd be able to see the sheer human nature of it all. A human being's natural reaction to its habitat. What a rare sight indeed.

But what is up with all this pondering on Monday mornings? Well, of course, it would be assumed that it's a Monday morning. But that's not really the question here, is it? The real question is: who is the optimist musing all these thoughts regarding Monday mornings? Well, that really can't be answered since the person in question isn't an optimist to begin with.

Yes, Eponine Thenardier was never an optimist. How could she be with the past she had to live with? But she wasn't a pessimist as well. I mean, why waste more time thinking about negative stuff? No, ladies and gentlemen, Eponine Thenardier was a realist. She saw the world for what it was. Not for what it could be nor for what it wasn't. It was as simple as that.

She never was inclined toward Monday mornings. She didn't see it as a chance to live through a new and possibly wonderful day. It wasn't a ray of light or a sparkling rainbow like it was for others. But she didn't hate it as well. She didn't see it as another day of hell or another day of robotic movements. It wasn't a dark cloud that was ready to engulf everyone in its darkness. No, it was just another day to her. Another day that could be filled with countless possibilities. Or another day just like any other. Basically, she was indifferent toward Monday mornings.

But this Monday felt different for her. And not because she felt that something would happen. No, it was because she hoped that something would happen. There's a difference. Letting herself hope too much would lead to expecting and expectations left plenty room for disappointment. That's why she never expected. But she did give some time to hope, even for a little bit.

But what was there to hope for? A change, that's what. Sure, her life's been going quite swell but it was also turning a bit too dull. If she'd ever miss anything from her old life, it was the excitement. It was the constant challenge that life had to offer. Where would she stay? What would she eat? Would she eat? Those questions always offered a problem. A problem she would always fix. But now, her life was a constant routine. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

But today, she'll be testing her routine. She would see if things would change. If a simple event could turn things around. But that would all depend on how a certain someone would react.

"Let's see what you do today, Monsieur Black Coffee." She muttered under her breath as she headed for her usual coffee shop.

* * *

Enjolras was currently heading to the coffee shop. It was still early in the morning but he found it nice to walk while the early morning air was still pleasant to the touch.

It was a nice and pleasant Monday morning. Honestly, he didn't really see the fuss people made when waking up to a Monday morning. It was just another day and if work needed to be done on that day then all the more reason to get out of bed and head out. He was merely being practical. But Enjolras was optimistic as well. He probably wasn't as optimistic as the likes of Prouvaire and Courfeyrac but he was still optimistic in his own ways. He was optimistic in terms of the bigger picture. He sought after a country of freedom, equality, and justice. True, times have changed and things aren't as they were before the French Revolution but there was still injustice around. There were still kids deprived of the luxury of education. Kids living on the streets. And, darn it, he'll have to do something about it. That was why he was studying to become a lawyer. At least in that way, he could make a difference.

But Enjolras was a cautious optimist. He didn't let himself hope too much and expect. He knew by firsthand experience that harboring expectations wouldn't go to well. So he let himself hope but to a limit. If an idea seemed too far-fetched then he wouldn't hold on to that but at the same time he wouldn't completely disregard it. He believed that the world was filled with endless possibilities. Anything could happen. Even on that normal Monday morning, anything could happen.

* * *

Eponine had arrived at the coffee shop at the same time that Enjolras did.

_"Okay, this is the moment of truth. Show me what you've got, Monsieur Black Coffee." _She thought as he waited for his next move.

He just stood there looking at her. He nodded a greeting to her and opened the door to the shop, gesturing that she enter first. She complied even though she didn't usually acknowledge such chivalry. I mean, she had two hands to open it herself. She most certainly did not need any help opening a simple door. Unless, of course, she was carrying too much stuff to open it for herself. But she let it slide this time. Clearly, he did not know what to do now that he was without the presence of his friends. If this was his way to acknowledge their, um, acquaintanceship then so be it.

She immediately fell in line once she had entered the coffee shop, with Enjolras right behind her. They stood there as they waited for their turns. No conversation took place, just silence. She even turned her head around twice just so that she could make sure that he was still there. And just as it would be, he was. He had a blank look on his face. Just the usual.

As soon as she got her order, she scrambled her way out of the shop, nodding to Enjolras as she passed him by. She just kept on walking, in her usual pace, in her usual way. Usual. What a dull word to use. Yet it was the only word that deemed fit for the description.

Let me ask you something. Have you ever had something happen that would lead you to hope or expect for a very much welcomed change only to see that things remained the same? Because that was exactly what was happening to Eponine.

It wasn't as if she'd expect things to change so drastically but after Friday night she thought that there would at least be some notable difference. She had practically spent the whole weekend wondering what would happen on that fateful Monday morning. Do not be mistaken, though. She was not obsessed with this fine gentleman. She did not even fancy him. No, she just thought that maybe, just maybe, they could at least have been a bit more acquainted with each other after officially meeting him last Friday. She thought that things would change. That her life wouldn't always be following her daily routine. She had thought that Friday night was going to be the start of something good, something different. But nothing at all had changed. Sure, they acknowledged each other's presence more than usual but that was it. She didn't even get a "good morning"!

She had made this the sign that would answer her question: "Would her life always be this dull?" Unfortunately, she did not like the answer she got. But Eponine Thenardier never did let her fate decide for her. If there was one thing that she had learned, it was that one must always work hard to move forward. If she wanted change then she'd have to do it herself. Yes, she'll have to take the reins now. Enjolras will surely meet a hopefully pleasant surprise later that day. But for now, she'll let herself enjoy the rest of her Monday morning.

* * *

**AN: Next chapter will be up sooner if I get reviews. Reviews really inspire me to write, especially insightful ones. Come on guys, I need ideas. Tell me what you want to see in this story. What kind of interaction or scenes do you want to happen? Ideas? Anything! I'm really stuck on what to write next. I've got about 3 stand-by chapters left and I haven't written/typed a single thing for chapter 11. If you want some action going on then you guys have to help me. Please, help me fight off my writer's block.**


	8. A Change of Pace

**AN: And it's me again. So here it is. Some actual interaction between the pair. Don't expect too much. This is their first conversation after all. Things will get better once they've gotten used to each other.**

**Anyway, I managed to fight off my writer's block and am now working on chapter 13. But I can't seem to decide what to write yet. To tell you the truth, I'm still organizing the events in my head. But you'll love chapter 12. Well, at least I did. But back to my point. If you guys ever want to see something specifically then don't hesitate to suggest it through a review. I want to hear your ideas. That would really help me a lot.**

**Thanks for the reviews, guys. Keep 'em coming.**

**Disclaimer: Hey, I just got the right to own Les Mis! Aaaaaand...it's gone. Darn it! So close.**

* * *

Enjolras took a sip before turning his attention back to his half-finished essay. He was sitting at his usual table with his usual coffee and usual stuff. Nothing out of the ordinary here. But of course, that was the Enjolras way. Stick to the schedule, he always says. Boring? Maybe. Effective? Definitely.

It was around this time that Eponine entered the shop. She scanned the coffee shop until her eyes rested on him. He gave her a small nod to acknowledge her presence but she took it no mind as she went to the counter to order.

* * *

"Let me guess. One iced hazelnut cappuccino and a chocolate muffin, right?" the girl at the counter said. She oftentimes had the afternoon shift and had come to be familiar with the girl's usual.

"Actually, I'd like to have a cup of hot chocolate and some chocolate chip cookies." She said. The girl gave her a surprised look before punching in her order.

"Um, all right then. I'll be back with your order, Ma'am." She said as she scurried off to do exactly as she said. She soon came back with her order and Eponine gave her the exact money and went off to get a table.

She eyed her usual table. It was empty. But she wasn't going to head there. No. She had other things in mind.

* * *

Enjolras was too engulfed in what he was doing that he didn't notice the young mademoiselle walking his way. It was only when he felt the presence of another slide into the empty seat across him that he finally took his eyes off his paper. He eyed the girl curiously. The initial shock and confusion must have been clearly shown in his countenance because the girl suddenly spoke.

"There must be a lot of questions running through your head right now. I wouldn't be surprised. This isn't the usual thing, now is it? But I wasn't aiming for usual today." She said. Now, she had him intrigued.

"Why not?" he asked.

"The usual might be comfortable but it's become too, er, suffocating, per se." she said.

"So…you decide to just change your order and just walk off to a random table and sit with some guy all because sitting by the corner with your iced hazelnut cappuccino and chocolate muffin seems to suffocate you?" he said. He was rather surprised to see her smiling after his comment.

"I'm surprised that you have memorized my daily order to exactly how it is." She said, which in turn made him give an awkward sort of cough, "But you did get something wrong, Monsieur. This was no random table."

"Right." He said.

"I'll be on a limb here and tell you what I think you're thinking right now. Let's see, you're wondering why I'm here. And the exact truth this time. You're also guessing that this has something to do with our little run-in last Friday. So you are probably assuming that I think, since we've already met, that we'll become buddies of some sort. Of course, you have no plan to change things up, thinking that a little encounter should have no or little effect on your routine. And of course my presence here unnerves you. You find it strange and not worth your time to have small chitchat with a person whom you've just met recently. You probably think it foolish of me to think that I could just sit here and make friends with you that fast. Did I get it all right?" she said.

"Probably." He answered, "But the question is: If you knew all that then why are you still here?" he said. He didn't say it in a mocking way but he was just simply curious of her answer.

"Because I'm Eponine Thenardier. That's reason enough. But I'll go ahead and enlighten you. What I said was true. I wanted to have a change in pace. And what better opportunity than this, right? But let me clear things up. I am no fool. I did not nor do I expect that we'll become instant friends. I wasn't really aiming for that. No. I was just testing out the waters, per se. You seem to be an interesting character to me. A conversation with you might actually be quite interesting. But I'm not looking for a best friend here. God knows I've already got a lot to handle with my current ones. No. I'm just looking for a change of pace."

"And you expect to find it in me?" he questioned.

"Well, it's a start."

"Hmm, I'm actually quite impressed that you got it all down correctly. My thoughts, I mean."

"I was hoping I would. My money should have been spent wisely. What's the use of studying psychology if you can't do stuff like this?"

"Ah, so now it makes sense. Let me just clarify something. You knew what I was thinking yet it did not offend you?"

"Monsieur, to be offended one must care first."

"So you don't care?"

"Why would I? You're but a familiar face that now has a name to match. It would have only offended me if it had come from someone who knows me."

"Then I am looking forward to knowing you."

"Then I shall also look forward to you offending me one day." She said with a small smile on her face. This was actually quite nice. Different but nice.

"I must say, I have misjudged you, Mademoiselle."

"Eponine. I don't like formalities."

"Okay, then. But you should do the same."

"What? Call you Eponine?" she snickered. Enjolras merely rolled his eyes.

"You're not that daft. But for the sake of it, I meant you should call me by my first name."

"That's a deal, Enjolras." She said as she shook his hand. "Go on with what you were about to say."

"Oh yes. I have misjudged your actions today. I should've known better than to think of you as some sort of annoyance. It was rude of me to assume things. And for that I apologize."

"It's not a problem. You did not offend me so your apology is not needed."

"That's kind of you. Let me just ask though. Why did you find a need to change even your order?"

"To prove a point, mostly. But it seems that there's not much to prove." She said as she glanced at her plate of cookies and her cup of hot chocolate. "As much as this tastes nice, I rather prefer my usual."

"Well, maybe you went a bit too much on your quest for change."

"Indeed I did. But there's no good in leaving this to waste." She said as she took a cookie and bit off a small portion, "You want one?" she said pushing the plate toward him. He hesitated. He didn't usually eat cookies but nothing of that afternoon was usual anymore. So he took one from the plate and ate it. And he was glad he did. The cookie was delicious. Maybe a change of pace wasn't entirely as bad as he thought it to be.


	9. Movie Night

**AN: Okay, I shall admit that there's not much interaction between the two here. But I promise that in the next chapters I shall focus on them. I have written a couple chapters already and I do believe that you might like them. I know it's probably slower than a snail right now but please be patient with me.**

**This chapter shows more of their group dynamic. Basically, it's a filler chapter but I hope you find it as enjoyable to read as I do.**

**My offer of letting you guys suggest stuff you want to read still stands. I've written out some more chapters but I'm currently stuck on what to write right now. To be honest, I'm still trying to organize my timeline. So, suggestions are very much welcome.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Les Mis. I do own a timeturner that has allowed me to travel back to June 5, 1832. Turns out, I actually made things worse at the barricades and now Dumbledore has confiscated my timeturner for my actions. Sigh.**

* * *

It had been weeks since that fortunate Monday afternoon and things had settled into a comfortable change. Despite what Eponine had predicted, she and Enjolras had become fast friends. Well, as fast as it can be. I mean, come on, it was Enjolras after all.

They mostly spent the afternoons in each other's company. Sometimes they'd spent hours discussing or rather debating over certain topics. And other times they'd just sit at the same table, reading their respective books, without a single word being passed between them. There were even times that they'd head to school together, conversing as they walked. It was after they had discovered that they had been going to the same university all along. Their relationship had escalated into a rather comfortable friendship. It was a very much welcomed change.

However, Enjolras was not the only one she had a growing friendship with. After several more encounters with the other members of Les Amis, she had quite grown fond of the young gentlemen. In fact, the three roommates seemed to have merged with the boys of Les Amis, forming a rather interesting group of friends.

The gang was currently situated in Marius's basement. Courfeyrac had proposed to have a movie marathon that night since it was one of the few times that they could hang out with Eponine on a Friday night. Madame Girdeau had recently hired another singer so that she and Eponine could take intervals, giving the girl a well-deserved break.

"So what movie do you guys want to watch first?" Feuilly asked as he scanned Marius movie collection.

"Why am I even here?" Enjolras asked, ignoring the other man's question. He most certainly did not want to be there at the moment. He simply had better things to do. If it wasn't for his roommates practically dragging him there, then he would surely be at home reading a book and they simply cannot have that.

"Oh come on, Enjolras. Lighten up. It's just one night. We can't have you wallowing in the shadows. For once, don't be a snooze fest." Grantaire said. He just came in the room with a cooler filled with beer.

"Yeah, live a little." Said Joly who came in after Grantaire.

"Yes, because staying in a basement and watching fictional characters on film is a clear sign that you're living your life." He said sarcastically.

"Even if you weren't here you'd still be reading about fictional characters. The only difference would be that it wasn't on film." Eponine said.

"Touché." Combeferre said.

"But Dickens would be far better than whatever we'll be watching." He countered.

"Ugh, that's not fair. You can't use my favorite author against me." Eponine said. Enjolras merely shrugged.

"Oh never mind that. Let's get back to my original question. What should we watch first?" Feuilly said.

"Horror." Grantaire said.

"Don't. Trust me." Cosette said, "We're a bunch of screamers." Referring to herself and the two other girls.

"Ooh, can't handle a little fright?" Courfeyrac said, "Don't worry girls. We're here to protect you." he said, winking at them. They merely rolled their eyes at him.

"It's not really that we're scared. You see, we only watch horror movies to criticize every stupid move that the characters do. But yeah, we get caught up in the moment and just scream our lungs out, followed by peals of laughter. We're so noisy that last time we watched a horror movie, our neighbor knocked on our door to tell us to shut the hell up. And it happened at the good part so you could just imagine the surprise we got when someone just came up." Musichetta offered as an explanation.

"Okay, not a horror movie then. Goodness knows what my grandfather would do if we woke him up in the middle of the night." Marius said.

"How about a romantic comedy for the girls' sake?" Prouvaire offered. His comment was received by several groans. The loudest of which didn't even come from one of the men.

"Ha ha. Don't even start with that, Jehan." Eponine said.

"This is interesting. You girls don't like romantic comedies?" Bahorel asked.

"Why would we?" Cosette said, annoyed with the prospect of having to sit through an hour and a half of sheer rubbish. "Romantic comedies are just a waste of our time. And it is just sexist to assume that every girl would gush over a romantic comedy. We're better than that."

"Trust us. If we're going to watch a chick flick then you guys better prepare to listen through an hour and a half of Cosette's constant criticism." Musichetta said.

"Really? I had pegged you as one of those girls who just can't wait to be swept of their feet by their prince charming." Courfeyrac said to Cosette, at which she gave him a glare.

"What do you expect? She is dating Marius, after all." Grantaire said.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?!" Marius said, offended.

"Guys, no need to get your knickers in a twist. Let's just pick a movie already." Combeferre said.

"Oh, let's just get a random movie off the shelf and get on with it." Eponine said as she stood up and did exactly that. She showed the DVD to everyone else and had gotten mix reactions. Courfeyrac and Marius seemed to be ecstatic about it and were practically bouncing on their seats. Others merely shrugged. And others groaned.

"Ugh, not that again." Enjolras groaned.

"Stop talking rubbish, Enjolras. Star Wars will always be awesome." Courfeyrac said.

"Not if you've seen it several times already." Bossuet said.

"But it never gets old." Marius countered.

"How about we let the girls decide then since it's their first movie night with us?" Combeferre proposed as a compromise. All eyes were on the girls and they felt nervous about it.

"Well, we've never really seen it so we don't really know." Cosette said. With this, Courfeyrac gave a very dramatic gasp and turned to Marius.

"Marius, I can't believe you're dating a girl who has never seen the trilogy." He said.

"Don't worry, Courf. We'll have to fix that."

"Excuse me?" Cosette asked.

"We'll have to suspend our friendship till you watch Star Wars with us." Courfeyrac said. And the creepy part is that he looked completely serious while saying it.

"Are you serious?" Musichetta asked, "Is he serious." She repeated to Joly who gave her a nod.

"You, dear ladies, are in the presence of the two biggest Star Wars dweebs in the entire galaxy." Grantaire said.

"Dweebs? Really, R? Why don't we just all go back to middle school?" Marius said.

"I don't know, Marius. With the way you and Courf are acting about this, it really does seem that you're half way there." Bahorel said.

"Oh ha ha ha. Let's just make fun of the two people who are the sole reason why we even have our movie nights." Courfeyrac said. He turned back to the girls, "Look, it's kind of been a tradition to share the wonders of Star Wars to those unfortunate enough to not see it. And we just can't let you leave this room without having seen the trilogy. Come on girls, please?" he said with very irresistible puppy dog eyes.

It was Musichetta who first caved in. "Fine." She said.

And so true to his word, Courfeyrac did not let anyone leave before the credits of the last movie rolled.

* * *

**AN: How was it? So, I don't really have anything against romcoms. In fact, I sometimes watch them if I wanted to watch something light. I'm not addicted to them like some so you could say I'm neutral about them. I just wrote that since I've always imagined Cosette to be the type to criticize movies. It's different from how other writers perceive her since they seem to think that Cosette would just love romantic stuff like that. My version of Cosette is very much different from the usual. I don't know, I just find that there's more to her than just that girl who "stole" Marius from Eponine. I just hate it when people bash her or Marius. I mean, I just love every character in Les Mis. They have their own story and character that intrigues me. So that is why I like to give justice to Cosette since others see her as just a compassionate albeit shallow girl.**

**Regarding the whole Star Wars thing, I don't really have an opinion on it. I haven't watched the trilogy myself. I don't know why but I just imagine Courfeyrac and Marius being complete Star Wars dweebs. And I say dweebs not because I think Star Wars fans are like that but because it's Courfeyrac and I think if he's addicted to something he goes all out about it. Actually, I might write something to do with Marius and Courf's Star Wars addiction here. Or I might write it as a one-shot and just reference it here. What do you guys think?**

**I just think that their best friendship started with the mutual love for Start Wars. But that's just my idea. Tell me what you think and review! See ya later, guys.**


	10. Sunday

**AN: Howdy! Thanks for the reviews. Your waiting will soon come to an end because the next chapters will now focus on some much needed interaction between our two leads. But for now, read and enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: To say that Les Mis is mine is to say that Darth Vader is my father. Seeing as I don't have a lightsaber in my possession and that I am not a dude named Luke, it would be apparent that I don't own Les Mis.**

* * *

_It is utter chaos. A mere barricade which they had built themselves was the only thing separating them from the National Guard. From their guns. From their death. Take that away and they were truly dead. But death was certain that night. That she knew._

_She watched as some of the men retaliated with their own gunshots. She just stood by, not wanting her cover to be blown. She helped as much as she could. She passed on rifles to those at the barricade and helped carry the injured away to safety. But mostly, she watched. She watched the scene unfold before her eyes. She watched the beautiful tragedy that would soon be known as their eminent demise. She watched him, the sole reason she was there in the first place. But she did not let her eyes linger that long. This was the battlefield. She had to stay sharp._

_She watched Gavroche. He was fine. He too was helping the men the way that she did. She watched the others. She watched as they fired away. She watched their faces scrunched up in utmost seriousness. They did not seem like college boys anymore. No, they looked like soldiers. They were men._

_And finally, she let her eyes land on something red. It was their leader. She did not know his name. She did not even remember his face. But his voice she knew very well. It was always full of passion, as though it was a flame that would never die out. It was as if his voice had its own law of gravity that pulled you in. He stood atop the heap of furniture they had made as a barricade. He stood tall and fierce. He was a charming young man capable of being terrible. But soon he will die. They will all die._

_She turned her attention back to her beloved just in time to sense that something was amiss. There! A member of the National Guard was pointing a gun at him. She moved quickly. She did not have enough time to think. She just moved. And there it was, a gunshot._

_Things began to feel hazy. She did not register the events that conspired after that shot. All she knew was that she was in the arms of her beloved. Just like she always wanted it to be. She could feel it. She could feel the life slowly escape her. But she did not care. She knew. She knew that it would happen. And she knew that it was for nothing. Her death. Her life. For nothing._

_The last thing she saw was a flash of red moving toward her. There was a face attached to that color but she could not make it out. It did not matter. She would soon leave that earth. She could feel it. She was falling. Falling. Falling…_

Eponine awoke with a jolt. She sat up from her bed and held herself tightly. She removed her hands from her stomach and held it in front of her face. Nothing. There was no blood. There was no wound. It was a dream.

It wasn't the first time that she had dreamt something like that. Each dream varied from the other. But, in a way, they were all the same.

Marius. He was the man from her dream. Her beloved. In earlier dreams, the man did not have a face. It was a blur that soon became clearer and clearer as the dreams continued on. It was a few months ago that she finally saw his face. And it was then that she realized the reason behind her irrational love for Marius. Those were feelings from a long time ago, back when she was a different person. It was no wonder that she had instantly felt a connection to him the first time that they had met. She had truly loved him in another time. And these feelings were nothing but leftovers from a past life. Well, at least that was what she used to convince herself to stop the feelings from growing.

She knew better than to love her best friend's boyfriend. It was a lost cause. She knew that. And even if a few feelings still lingered, she knew that they meant nothing. They would eventually die out. But until that day comes then she'll have to put up with it.

She looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was seven fifteen. Good. At least it was now a reasonable time to be awake. She stood up and went to take a shower. She changed into some clothes and went out into the kitchen. Cosette and Musichetta were still asleep but it wouldn't be long till one of them wakes up.

She decided to make some breakfast. She was in the middle of flipping a pancake when Musichetta arrived.

"You're up early." She said, followed by a yawn.

"I'm always up early." She said, not taking her eyes away from the pan.

"Yeah, but it's a Sunday."

"I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. It's too bad I couldn't sleep in, this time."

"What're you cooking? It smells good." Musichetta said as she sniffed the air around them.

"It'll taste good too." She said, "I'm just finishing up this last pancake then I'll be frying some scrambled eggs and bacon."

"Oh God. I'm drooling already. It's a good thing we're not one of those health conscious girls that eat nothing but a place of lettuce." She said, shuddering at the thought. Eponine laughed an agreement as she placed the last pancake on the plate.

"I'll make myself useful and make some coffee." Musichetta offered and walked over to the coffeemaker.

"You do that." Eponine replied as she took the eggs and bacon from the fridge. It was then that Cosette finally came out of her room. She walked into the kitchen, following the scent of pancakes that wafted through the apartment.

"Mm, pancakes." She said as she sat herself on the counter.

"Well, good morning to you too, sunshine." Eponine greeted.

"That's not all. 'Ponine's going to cook us some eggs and bacon as well." Musichetta said.

"You could just hear my stomach growling now. Oh how you spoil us, Ep." Cosette said.

"Geez, it's just breakfast guys. Don't act like you've never eaten pancakes, eggs, and bacon."

"Well, not in a long time." Musichetta said.

"I'm starving. When's that going to be ready?" Cosette whined.

"Don't be such a baby. Make yourself useful and set the table." Eponine fired back.

"Fine, Mom." Cosette mocked but did as she was told.

They soon ate their breakfast in silence, savoring each bite until there was none left. After placing her plate in the sink, Eponine said her farewells.

"Bye." Musichetta said.

"Say hi to the boys and Azelma for us." Cosette called out.

"Will do." Eponine said as she opened the door, "See you guys later."

* * *

Eponine stood outside a quaint house, as she waited for the door to be opened. She heard footsteps that sounded like they were coming down the stairs. The door was then flung open as she was greeted by her brother, Gavroche. He was still in his pajamas and looked as if he had just gotten out of bed.

"Bloody hell! Why so early, Ep?" he said at which he received a smack on the head, "Ow! What was that for?"

"Language. And for not being happy to see me." She said.

"Oh pardon me, Mademoiselle. I did not wish to be rude. I am simply thrilled to see you on this lovely Sunday morning. Shall I take your coat or escort you into our humble abode?" he said mockingly.

"Two things. One, as you can see, I have no coat. And two, I'm glad that your vocabulary has gotten better. Now, step aside." She said as she mussed up his hair and entered the house. She headed for the kitchen where she knew Madame Magnon would be.

"Oh good morning, dear." The old lady greeted her as she entered the kitchen. The older lady was already sixty-two years old and was more like a grandmother to her and her siblings rather than a mother.

"Good morning, Madame Magnon." Eponine greeted.

"When will I get it through that thick skull of yours that you don't need to call me that? Your siblings are under my care and although you are not residing with us I still believe that you are too. We are family."

"Right. I'm sorry, Grand-mère." She said, blushing. She still wasn't used to it but she would do it for the older lady's sake.

"Now, that's better."

"What's for breakfast, Gram? I'm hungry." Gavroche said as he entered the kitchen.

"I made some waffles." She said. He made a move to grab one when she swatted his hand away. "Go wake up your siblings first." She scolded.

"Yes, Ma'am." He said. He walked out the kitchen, mumbling something in the lines of, "What is up with people hitting me today?"

"Eponine, be a dear and kindly fetch your grandfather. He's in the garden." Madame Magnon said. Eponine nodded and headed out the backdoor and into the garden.

Monsieur Magnon was not there. She assumed that he was in the shed and so that was where she went.

"Mon – I mean – Grand-père, are you in here?" she called out. She then heard something hit the shelves and a few things fall out.

"Eponine! You gave me a start."

"Breakfast is ready." She said as she helped the man pick up the fallen objects and placed them back on the shelves. They soon exited the shed and went into the kitchen. Her other siblings were already seated at the table.

"Morning, Ep!" they all greeted.

"Morning, guys." She said as Madame Magnon handed her a plate which she refused.

"Oh no. I already ate, Grand-mère."

"Are you sure there's no room for more? You're still a bit too skinny, dear."

"No, I'm good. I'll just have some toast and juice." She said. The older lady was about to say something when Monsieur Magnon cut her off.

"Oh let the girl decide what to eat. There's no need to treat her like a child. She can handle herself." He said.

"All right then. But if ever you need anything, just tell us." She said. Eponine just nodded and got herself a glass of juice and a piece of toast. They all sat down at the table and began to talk.

"So, how are things going, Eponine?" Madame Magnon asked.

"Great, actually. I'm doing well in school and Madame Girdeau has hired another singer so I now have some free Fridays and Saturdays for myself. Oh and I've become better acquainted with Marius's friends. We even had a movie marathon last Friday. They made us watch through the whole Star Wars Trilogy." She said as she shuddered at the memory. The movies weren't really bad. It was the whole experience that made it bad. Courfeyrac and Marius kept giving then trivia as they watched and they would overreact in some scenes. There was even a time that she wanted to pee in the middle of the second movie but Courfeyrac didn't want to pause it and didn't let her leave. That was really uncomfortable.

"Are there any potential boyfriends out of them?" the older lady asked innocently. She had been dropping hints at her to get a boyfriend already but she absolutely had no time for that. In Madame Magnon's defense, she only wanted Eponine to be happy. I mean, with the life she has had she most definitely deserved it.

"Yeah, is there anyone hot?" Azelma asked. She was only two years younger than Eponine and was also a college student but she was still young enough to be adopted at the time. Even if she was free to live on her own, Azelma still chose to live with her siblings and keep an eye on them.

"What? No!" she protested but she was only given skeptic looks from the two ladies, "Look, they are all rather good-looking, I must admit. But I only see them as friends. Besides, I don't plan to have a boyfriend any time soon.

"Good. Studies first." Monsieur Magnon said. He was protective of the girls, even if Eponine wasn't legally theirs. He and Madame Magnon had grown to treat and love the girl and her siblings as their own.

"Well, dear. Things don't always go according to plan." Madame Magnon said, giving her a wink. And she was right. Things never did seem to go according to plan.

* * *

**AN: Mmm...bacon. Sigh. If only I had the chance to eat breakfast with the girls. Oh well. Reviews would make up for that. Review if you also like bacon. And also if you don't. But honestly, no decent meat-lover could ever resist bacon.**


	11. Lingering Thoughts

**AN: Yo! Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming. And now, I have nothing else to say. Read and enjoy. And don't forget to review.**

**Disclaimer: Mine? Nope.**

* * *

Ever since that Sunday morning, Eponine couldn't get those words out of her head. I mean, the thought of finding a boyfriend let alone from the guys of Les Amis was simply a thought she never entertained. Up until now, that is.

She never had a boyfriend. Flings? Yes, but never anything serious. But like she said, she had her studies to focus on. But still, she let her mind linger on that prospect. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. Or maybe it was. But she did say that she needed some change, some excitement in her dull life. She needed a challenge. But maybe now wasn't really the time for that. But if there was something that she learned from the cliché romantic comedies that they watched it was that love always came when you least expect it.

And so, with that in mind, she let her thoughts linger on the prospect of having a boyfriend. She scanned her eyes across the room where her friends were scattered. They were currently in a café just a few steps from the university. It was one of those hole-in-the-wall places that passers-by usually ignored. It was a nice place but still she preferred her usual coffee shop.

She figured she might as well use the process of elimination to determine if any of the guys she called her friends would be a worthy boyfriend.

The first ones she had spotted were Joly and Bossuet who were talking with Musichetta at the moment. They were definitely out of the picture. Whatever went on among those three was none of her business.

Jehan Prouvaire? Well, she liked his poetic and artistic side but he was too much of a romantic for her. He was too up in the clouds as well and she didn't have the patience for those kind of people.

Then she spotted Feuilly and Bahorel playing darts. Hmm, she didn't know those guys quite well. Sure, they held rather good and entertaining conversations but it was more of a casual friendship between them.

Combeferre? She liked the man. She really did. He held a good conversation and was rather charming but it would never work between them. It was clear from the very moment that they met that they had friendzoned each other. He wasn't interested and neither was she.

Courfeyrac, the big flirt. Charming. Funny. And was good company. Boyfriend material? Definitely not. Well, at least for her. The guy was a huge player. He probably didn't have a serious relationship going on for a while. But flings and one night stands? You bet. Even if he did get serious, they probably wouldn't have clicked as a couple. But if she ever needed a partner in some silly shindig then he'd be the guy to call.

Grantaire. She had grown to love the drunk. He was silly and fun and she just loved their sarcastic conversations. He was a party all on his own and it never gets awkward when it's Grantaire. She'd love to have him around but more of a best friend for life than anything else. The guy couldn't get himself into a serious relationship even if he was sober.

And then there was Marius. She smiled as she looked at him apologize to someone he had bumped into. Aside from her roommates, Marius was the first real friend she had made in campus. He was so nice to her, even when he knew that she was just a scholarship student. He didn't treat her any different. He laughed at her jokes and kept her in good company. He was definitely boyfriend material. But apparently, he wasn't for her to keep. Marius and Cosette had met through her and they instantly clicked. Both of them were never the romantic types but you could just swear that they were filming a romance film on the spot the moment their eyes landed on each other. Cosette swears that it wasn't love at first sight. She didn't believe in it. She said that it was attraction at first sight and it was only when they spent the whole afternoon together that she decided that Marius was definitely worth a shot. And he was. And there they were. And there she was sitting all by her lonesome. She sighed.

"Staring would just make it all the more obvious." A voice said. She rolled her eyes at the owner of the voice. She knew exactly who it was.

Enjolras, the last one on the list. But he shouldn't be in the list in the first place. She had no intentions to even consider Enjolras as a possible boyfriend. Sure, they spent many hours just talking in the coffee shop and they did become friends over the weeks but half the time she spent with him was spent in loathing him. They mostly just argued. They argued over any possible topic you could think of. Heck, it was just yesterday that they had a long argument over ice cream. They simply had different opinions. And their opinions would usually clash in a very theatric way. She did admit that she rather enjoyed their clashes but goodness knows what would happen if they were an actual couple. She even shuddered at the thought.

"I don't think Marius would take it well if he realized you harbored unrequited feelings for him." He said. She quickly snapped her head to the direction he was in.

"What the hell are you on about?" she asked

" I've noticed." He merely said.

" You've noticed nothing." She defended, at which he just raised an eyebrow.

"Let me finish. Nothing but leftovers from a long time ago."

"If you say so."

"Believe me. It's nothing. I'll completely get over it sooner or later. Old habits die hard. It's not worth discussing over."

"Then why are you trying so hard to convince me?" he inquired.

"Must you always be this infuriating?! I thought you didn't even spend much as a second talking about this kind of rubbish."

"I didn't."

"Then why are you?" she asked, genuinely curious. He merely gave her a shrug. Truth be told, he didn't really know how to answer that.

"Look, just leave me with my musings. I can handle myself." She said.

"Never said that you couldn't."

"Just get back to your book." She said. He smirked as he read on.

Well, so much for her musings. That was everyone she knew and none of them posed much of an option for her. Yeah, she was definitely right. She didn't need a boyfriend right now.

With that done, she no longer had anything to occupy her mind with. She was done with her homework and she didn't have a book with her. Her friends were all too absorbed in whatever they were doing at the moment. She tapped her fingers on the armrest impatiently. She was bored. She sighed and look toward her only option for a conversation.

"So…what book are you reading?" she asked.

"I thought you told me to get back to my book and to stop conversing with you." he said, not letting his eyes leave the pages.

"I never said the second part." She defended.

"It was implied." He said. Silence ensued after that. So much for something to do. Just when she was about to stand up and find something else to occupy herself with he spoke again. "A Tale of Two Cities." He said, answering her question.

"Ooh, I've already read that." She said, her eyes lighting up at the mention of the title.

"I'd believe you would. You are a Dickens fan after all." He said.

"Well, it's hard not to love his works. That's actually one of my favorites. You should keep on reading."

"Tell me. What are your thoughts about it?" he asked.

"I really shouldn't keep you from your reading."

"No, it's fine. I've already read this one." He said as he put the book down.

They then began a lengthy conversation with arguments over this and that. It was their usual dynamic. They'd argue then talk and then argue some more.

* * *

"Look at them arguing again." Combeferre pointed out with a smirk and a shake of the head.

"They never seem to stop." Jehan said.

"They shouldn't. It's quite fun to watch." Grantaire said.

"They're quite a pair, aren't they?" Courfeyrac joined in.

"Eponine was right." Combeferre said, "We do sound like old gossiping ladies."

"Never mind that." Courfeyrac spoke, "Do you think we should do something about it?" He said wriggling his eyebrows as he gestured to the arguing pair.

"Nah. Let them go at their own pace" Jehan said.

"Wait, what were we talking about again?" Grantaire asked. They all sighed.

"About how you should lessen your alcohol intake. I mean, it's still four in the afternoon." Combeferre said as he took the bottle away from Grantaire, taking a sip from it as well.

"It's never too early for a drink, my friend." he said as he took another bottle from seemingly out of nowhere.

"Where'd you get that?" Jehan asked perplexed.

"I never run out of supply." He said as he chugged the contents down his throat.

"It's best if you don't ponder on the secrets that is Grantaire and his alcohol." Courfeyrac said.


	12. Surprise Visit

**AN: Once again, I thank you for your reviews. But more would certainly make me a lot happier.**

**I have to warn you, though, that the next few chapters might take a while. I've just finished chapter 14 but I'm not quite satisfied with it so I'll have to edit it first. And I just can't write chapter 15 yet. It's not that i'm having writer's block. I'm just not in the writing mood. Another idea has been plaguing me for the past few days and that has been hindering me from writing this story. I'll try to fix it, I swear. But till then I ask for your patience, dear readers.**

**Disclaimer: I'll own Les Mis when I own the moon.**

* * *

"What the hell?!" these were the words that spurted out of Eponine's mouth as soon as she opened the door. She had expected to see a neighbor wanting to borrow something or even Monsieur Valjean coming in for a visit but clearly that was not the sight that greeted her. No, she had opened the door to see a smiling Courfeyrac holding some beer and snacks. The others were standing behind him and they were mostly carrying the same things. And by mostly that meant everyone but Enjolras. He was clearly dragged there. Courfeyrac continued to smile at her all while entering the apartment without her consent and making himself feel at home on her couch.

"Nice to see you too, Ep." He cheerfully greeted as he passed her by. She just stood there gaping at the boys who filed in after him, throwing in a greeting to her as they passed her by.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked a bit perplexed. Okay, a whole lot perplexed.

"We were coming over. Didn't Cosette tell you?" Combeferre said.

"Obviously she didn't."

"Hey, Ep. What's with all the ruck –" a girl said as she came into the living room.

"Eponine, there's a strange girl in your living room who kind of looks like you but doesn't. Is she a failed clone of yours? " Grantaire pointed out.

"I can see that. And that's no clone, you idiot. That's my sister." Eponine said.

"Oh. Hi." Grantaire greeted to the confused girl.

"Uh, hello…" she drawled, "I thought you were going to be alone." She said to Eponine.

"Well, I thought so too. But apparently, I was wrong." She said.

"Sorry. We really though Cosette had told you." Joly said.

"Hey, clone. Move aside. We're going to need to see the TV screen." Grantaire said to the girl.

"Is he for real?" she asked her sister who merely gave her a shrug. She then turned to face the guy, "Dude, I'm not a clone. I have a name, you know."

"Do tell." He said.

"Don't mind him. He's always that way." Feuilly said, "But please, do tell."

"The name's Azelma. Azelma Magnon." She said.

"Wait, didn't you say you were siblings?" Bahorel asked at which the two girls nodded, "Then why do you have different surnames?"

"She and my other siblings got adopted. I didn't." Eponine answered.

"Why not?" Prouvaire asked.

"I was eighteen at the time. It didn't seem reasonable to adopt me anymore." She said. There was a silence that followed. She wasn't really comfortable about talking about her past, even if the question wasn't really that touchy.

The silence was only interrupted with the sound of the lock clicking and the door opening. Cosette, along with Musichetta and Marius had just entered.

"Why are they here and why didn't you give me a heads-up?" she asked her two roommates.

"I did. I sent you a text. I even tried calling you but you wouldn't pick up." Cosette said.

"My phone's battery is empty. I was charging it in my room. I told you earlier."

"Oh, I'm sorry. It slipped my mind. I hope they weren't such a bother." She said.

"Hey!" some of the guys retorted.

"Eh, what can we do? The damage is done. I guess we'll have to go through an afternoon with these idiots." Eponine said.

"Hey!" this time it was a lot louder.

"Shut up. You have no right to be offended by me in my household." Eponine said.

"Yes, Ma'am." Most of them replied in a serious tone. Again, by most I meant everyone but Enjolras. The guy was simply sitting on her couch as if nothing relevant was happening.

"Why are you guys here in the first place?" she asked.

"We wanted to watch the game." Bossuet said.

"Then why can't you do it somewhere else?"

"Our cable got cut-off. The TV in Courf's apartment got broken. And Marius' grandfather has some guests over." Prouvaire explained.

"Fine. But the same visiting rules still apply." Eponine stated.

"What rules?" Combeferre asked.

"Whatever mess you make, you clean up." Musichetta said.

"If you break anything, you replace it and treat us all to some tacos." Cosette said.

"If you want to keep on walking then get your feet off the table." Eponine said, at which a bunch of feet landed on the floor.

"If you're going to pee then lift the seat up and put it back down after you're done. Any mess made in the bathroom will result in you scrubbing the whole bathroom with your own toothbrush." Musichetta said.

"No entering into the bedrooms without our consent. If you do, then be ready to experience hell." Cosette said.

"Don't burn our kitchen down if you don't want your charred corpse to be found among the debris." Eponine said.

"And don't let any assholes in but we'll let that slide for today." Musichetta finished up, giving a smirk to the boys.

"You girls are crazy." Courfeyrac said.

"Why, thank you." they all said at the same time.

* * *

After the game had finished, the guys had decided to stay for a little while. They had gotten acquainted with Azelma and had made themselves pretty much at home.

Eponine was alone in the kitchen when Enjolras walked in.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were here." He said.

"It's fine." She said, "Did you need anything?" she asked.

"No. I just wanted to get away from them for a little while."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. They can really be a handful sometimes. But I'm glad they're here." She said. She fetched two glasses and placed them on the table. She took the milk carton from the fridge and placed it there too. Then she took a cookie jar from the cupboards and placed it in the center.

"You want some?" she asked.

"No. I'm fine."

"Come on. I know you like cookies." She insisted. He soon gave in and took a cookie from the jar. She poured them both a glass of milk and handed one over to him. They ate in silence until Eponine couldn't handle it anymore and just burst into giggles.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked, giving her a raised brow.

"I just realized how funny this actually looks. Here you are, stoic and always serious Enjolras, eating a bunch of cookies and sipping some milk. It's actually kind of cute." She said. She stopped laughing when she noticed her slip-up in the end. She looked at him to see his reaction but he merely rolled his eyes and continued eating his cookie. She just smiled at him. It really was kind of cute, though.

"These are really good, though. You made these?" he asked.

"Nah. These are Cosette's. She likes to bake from time to time."

"And she's fine with us eating this?"

"Yeah. She just loves it when people like her baking."

At that precise moment, Cosette had walked into the kitchen.

"What are you doing eating my cookies?" she asked.

"I thought you said she was fine with it." Enjolras said.

"Uh-oh, I didn't notice that we kind of ate too much. Sorry, 'Sette."

"What's going on?" Marius asked as he entered the kitchen.

"They ate my cookies." Cosette said with a pout. Marius then looked at the scene and burst into laughter.

"I can't believe that the almighty Enjolras has been reduced to a child munching on cookies and sipping on milk." He said through his laughter. Enjolras just chucked a cookie at him in response.

"Hey! That's not the way to treat a cookie." Cosette fumed. But all was well since Marius was able to catch it in his mouth. It was actually quite funny because he did it in the way that a dog would catch a Frisbee. But his reaction after biting the cookie was much more comical.

"Oh, God! These taste great. Did you make this?" Marius asked Cosette. She just gave him a wide smile in reply. At Marius's positive reaction, Cosette's mood returned to a much lighter and happier one. She didn't even remember the "crime" that Enjolras had done to the cookie.

"You want me to make you some?" she asked.

"Oh that would be great! These are just the best." He said.

"You should try her brownies. They're to die for." Eponine suggested.

"Noted." Marius said as he walked over to get some more cookies. Cosette followed him and looked over his shoulder to the almost empty cookie jar. Cosette heaved a sigh.

"I guess I'll have to whip up another batch sooner than later." She said.

"Yay! More cookies!" Eponine exclaimed at which Marius gave her a high-five of agreement.

"Hold on just one second, missy." Cosette said, "Don't think you've gotten free just yet. Remember, it's because of the two of you that our cookie supply has run low. You have to help me bake."

"No problem. I love to eat some cookie dough." Eponine said.

"That's not all. The two of you have to buy the ingredients for me. Your treat." She said. The two cookie-eating culprits glanced at each other and then at the cookie jar. It really was their fault and they really did want more cookies.

"Fine." They both agreed.

Marius was about to get the last cookie when a hand stole it from his grasp. He looked up to the culprit only to see his girlfriend give him a smirk.

"No, no, no. I always get the last cookie." She said. He gave her a puppy dog look but she only chuckled in reply.

"Marius, the cookie will always win over the puppy dog." She said as she sauntered out of the kitchen. Marius followed soon after with a dejected look on his face.

The pair were once again left on their own. With the cookies gone and the glasses emptied they no longer knew what to do.

"So…" Eponine drawled, "I guess we'll be going grocery shopping soon."

"Tomorrow?" he asked.

"Sure." She replied. The silence returned.

"Want some brownies? I think there are a couple of them left in the fridge." She said. He merely shrugged.

"Okay. As long as we won't end up shopping for ingredients for this one as well."

"She won't find out. I'll make sure of it." She said as she took the brownies out and placed them on the table, "This'll be our own little secret." She said, giving him a wink. Who knew Enjolras would end up as her partner in crime when it comes to secretly eating Cosette's bake goods?

* * *

**AN: So? What do you think? Drop a review!**

**Next chapter will be lovely. It's my fave so far, I think.**

**Anyway, here's some shameless plugging. If you guys don't mind, I hope you could check out this one-shot I wrote. It's called ****Leave****(Books) or ****Leave and Let Go****(Plays/Musicals). I know it's not Enjonine but since you guys like Grantaire maybe you'll like this. I have to warn you, though. It's kinda angsty. But please check it out and drop a review. It's kind of experimental so I'd really appreciate it if you read it and share your thoughts regarding it. A part of it is kind of inspired by**** George Blagden's cover of Leave from Once****. I may have said that Hadley was my Grantaire but I guess that only applied to funny Grantaire. Serious/sensitive Grantaire would definitely be George.**


	13. Grocery Shopping

**AN: Greetings, fellow earthling. So, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I think this is my favorite so far. **

**There may be a delay in posting the next chapter, though. I've written it out but I'm still not satisfied with how it turned out so I'll be editing it first.**

**If you want something else to read I shall do some shameless plugging and recommend that you read my one-shots. I have made another one since the idea wouldn't leave my head. And I might just write another one some time later. But that'll probably be after I edit the next chapter and write the one after that.**

**Anyway, thanks for all of those who have reviewed, followed, or made this a favorite. I hope for your continuous patronage. Read and review.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not rich enough to own the copyrights to Les Miserables and Imagine by John Lennon.**

* * *

"Eponine, I'm pretty sure that gummy bears are not on the list." Enjolras said as Eponine added a pack to their basket.

"What are you talking about? Of course they are." She defended.

"Do you actually expect me to believe that Cosette will be making chocolate chip gummy bear cookies?"

"Why not? Everything tastes better with gummy bears."

"You're being unreasonable."

"You're being unreasonable!"

"Now you sound like a child." He said at which she stuck her tongue out at him. "And by doing that you're only proving my point."

"Come on. It's just one pack." She pleads.

"May I remind you that we're supposed to split the cost."

"Then I'll pay for this. I'll take note of the price down to the decimal places." She said. Just when Enjolras was about to reply a voice called out his name.

"Enjolras!" he turned around to see a kid around the age of twelve standing behind him. The kid was grinning at him and he couldn't help giving the kid a small smile.

"What're you doing here alone?" he inquired.

"I'm not. Grand-mère is here with me." He replied. Eponine, who was still hidden from the kid's view, stepped from behind Enjolras to confirm her suspicions.

"Gavroche? How do you know each other?" she asked.

"Ep!" he exclaimed at the sight of his sister, specifically the sight of his sister with Enjolras.

"Gavroche, didn't I tell you not to stray away from me?" Madame Magnon said as she emerged from the other aisle.

"Je suis désolé, Gram. I thought I heard a familiar voice that's why I came here in a hurry. But look who I found." He said.

"Eponine! And Enjolras?" she said, a bit taken aback by their presence, especially with who they were with. "You never told us you knew each other."

"Well, I didn't really know that you knew each other as well. Wait, how do you know each other?" she said.

"The principal of Gavroche's school was once my professor in college. We had bumped into each other a while back and he asked if I could suggest anyone to help around in a project his school was conducting. Naturally, I volunteered Les Amis to help out." Enjolras said, joining in on the conversation.

"What kind of project was this?" she asked, trying to rack her brain for any memory of Gavroche mentioning some kind of project his school was having.

"Basically, they asked some high school and college students to act as older siblings to the younger ones, helping them out with their schoolwork. It was mostly tutoring them." He explained further.

"But you don't need any tutoring." Eponine said to Gavroche. Gavroche might not be the most studious kid around but he was smart.

"He was required to sign up. Instead of getting detention for a silly prank he pulled, the principal gave him the option to join the project instead. He though Gavroche could need some good influence." Madame Magnon said.

"Is that why you didn't tell me?" Eponine asked Gavroche. Eponine was a strict sister to her siblings. Back when it was just them, she'd scold them if they didn't study or do their homework. Well, she still did but with the distance between them the leash she had on them grew longer.

"I knew you'd be mad if you knew I got called into the office again." He said. She rolled her eyes at him and turned her attention back to Enjolras.

"So, you got Gavroche?" she asked him.

"No, he got Courfeyrac. But after a while he began to hang around him more often and then with the rest of Les Amis." He said. She groaned in response.

"That's not much of an assurance." She said, "Please tell me you keep him away from Grantaire."

"Hey! I can handle myself just fine. I don't need anyone to keep an eye on me." Gavroche retorted. Enjolras smirked at how alike the siblings were. In fact, he didn't really need an explanation of how Eponine knew Gavroche. It was clear to him that they were related. Although they didn't look exactly alike the way Eponine was with Azelma, he could see similar features and their personalities definitely reflected each other.

"Look, whatever drink Grantaire has to offer you decline, okay? And don't stay too close with Bossuet when he's around knives or furniture." She said to the younger boy.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know that much." He said, rolling his eyes at her.

"Eponine, you still haven't told us how you knew Enjolras." Madame Magnon said, "Is he your boyfriend?" she asked.

"What?! No!" she exclaimed, "Grand-mère, I just told you last Sunday that I didn't have a boyfriend and that I didn't have any plans to have one." She said.

"But plans can change, dear." She said.

"Well, not that soon." She said, "He's just a friend. I could barely even call him a friend. He's part of the group of guys that I befriended that I told you about. Nothing's going on, okay?" and then she added to mostly to herself, "especially not with him."

"Then why are you here? Just the two of you." the old woman asked, skeptically.

"We're just buying stuff that Cosette asked us to." She explained.

"Oh, how is that girl doing, by the way? And Musichetta too."

"They're doing fine. But Cosette's still a bit upset at us for eating all her cookies." She said. The old woman just chuckled.

"Ooh. Cosette's cookies are the best! Is she making some soon?" Gavroche asked, somewhat drooling at the thought of freshly-baked cookies.

"Yup. As soon as we pay for these." She said.

"Okay then, we'll leave you two alone to do that. Take care, dear." The old lady said as she disappeared into another aisle, Gavroche following not far behind.

"See ya! Don't forget the cookies." He yelled back at the two. They were once again alone. As usual, there was silence.

"So…gummy bears?" she asked, going back to their previous argument. Enjolras sighed as he moved on.

"Fine." He muttered.

"Yes!" she said, "How about some chips?"

"I hope you're not going to try to convince me that Cosette will be making potato chip cookies instead of chocolate chip ones."

"I know you're not that stupid."

"I'm not stupid at all." He replied.

"Let's just see about that." She mused, "What's ten percent of – "

"No, we are not going to buy ice cream." He said, cutting her off, "Even if it's ten percent off."

"Darn. You're no fun. Ice cream would go well with cookies." She said.

"You know I don't like ice cream." He said.

"Really? Last time I pointed that out to you, you told me that you didn't say that you didn't like ice cream. And that you just didn't care much about it. Are you contradicting your past self?"

"Are we really going back to the ice cream argument?"

"Well, if you don't want to then you might as well agree to buy ice cream to end it."

"What kind of point is that?"

"One that you should take into consideration."

"We are only here to buy the stuff Cosette asked us to."

"Well, as long as we're here we might as well buy the things we need."

"You don't need ice cream. You want it."

"Ah, but according to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, food is a basic need. And ice cream, as you well know, is classified under that category. Thus, ice cream is indeed a need." She said matter-of-factly.

"Your logic is flawed. The transitive property doesn't apply to everything in life. It's just like saying that burgers are healthy because lettuce is healthy and burgers have lettuce."

"Darn. Now, I want a burger." Eponine replied, "But anyway, I was just stating a fact."

"It's not a fact."

"Well, it's not a lie per se. So what do we make of it?"

"The end of the argument."

"You are no fun." She said, giving him a pout.

"Look, if you really want ice cream then we can stop by some ice cream parlor and by a cone twirl or something. It's way cheaper than buying a whole tub." He reasoned.

"Hmm, your treat?" she asked. He sighed.

"If I agree would you stop arguing about ice cream with me?"

"Most likely."

"Come on. Let's go to the counter and pay for all of this." He offered.

"Wait." She said, stopping in her tracks.

"What now?" he asked, exasperated.

"Listen. Do you hear that?"

"I hope you're not hearing voices in your head."

"No. Just listen." And he did. She then hummed something and he could make out a familiar tune playing on the radio.

"…living for today." She sang. He knew this song. Heck, it was probably one of his favorites. And here she was singing it out loud in a grocery store, "Imagine there's no countries. It isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for. And no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You-hoo-hoo."

As she sang she stared at him, urging him to sing along. She saw the way his lips moved to the lyrics but she couldn't hear any sound coming from him. She waited for him to join her in the chorus. And he did.

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will be as one." They both sang. Okay, Eponine did sing louder than Enjolras but he did sing. And he had a nice voice too. They had gotten the attention of some shoppers and Enjolras was about to stop Eponine from continuing but she shook her head. She just smiled at him and continued on with the next verse.

"Imagine no possessions. I wonder if you can." She sang. She looked at him, urging him to sing with her again. She looked really happy singing, even if it was in a public area. He sighed and joined her, wearing a small smile of his own.

"No need for greed or hunger. A brotherhood of man. Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You-hoo-hoo." She watched him as he sang along. Truth be told, she really didn't expect him to sing along with her. It was a common thing for her to do that kind of thing in public areas. She didn't really care. But she knew Enjolras was not the type to engage in such hooliganism. And yet here he was, singing a duet with her. As cliché as it might sound, there might be more to him than meets the eye. Interesting.

"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one." They finished. They heard a few shoppers applaud at their spontaneous performance and Enjolras began to be aware of what they just did. Of what he just did.

Eponine took Enjolras's hand in hers and gave the audience a small bow. She then felt that very hand being tugged along by Enjolras.

"I didn't know you could sing." She said to him, a bit amused.

"I didn't." he replied, still dragging her to the cashier.

"Well, you should. You actually have a decent sounding voice." She said. He said nothing in return.

"Aren't you going to say thank you?" she asked. Still, nothing.

"You know, I regret nothing. It was quite fun, actually. This was nice. We should do it more often." she said. They had now reached the cashier and Enjolras was currently placing the basket on the counter. Silence.

"There's just one thing that I can't put an answer to. Why did you do it?" she said, "I mean, I didn't peg you as the guy who would sing in public places. And you're probably not. That's probably more of a Courfeyrac move. So, why'd you do it?" she said. Silence. She just sighed and pulled out her wallet to pay half of the cost. It was only when they were outside the grocery store that Enjolras finally spoke.

"I love the song." He said.

"What?" Eponine asked, surprised. They were walking in silence for a while when he just spoke.

"It's my answer to your question."

"Oh. Is it because of John Lennon?" she asked.

"That and because I truly do believe in the lyrics. I believe in the message it gives. I can imagine a world like that. And I won't let it stop with just imagination. I'll make it happen." He said, "But maybe I am just a dreamer."

"Well, you're not the only one." She said, giving him a smile. He truly was something else entirely.

"So…ice cream?" she asked.

"All right." He said as they walked to the nearest ice cream parlor. The song was still stuck in their heads and they were quietly humming to the tune. But this time, Eponine paid much more attention to the lyrics. She could imagine a world like that. And it was nice. She would love to live in that world. And although she believed in the message, she had more belief in the dreamer who said would make it happen. Imaginations are just blueprints for reality, after all.


End file.
